TIMES SHEDS LIGHT ON HISTORIC GRAVESTONE

THE original gravestone of a heroic young soldier who died in Finchampstead after battling it out in Crimea 150 years ago has been discovered but still leaves a question mark over the exact day of his death.

THE original gravestone of a heroic young soldier who died in Finchampstead after battling it out in Crimea 150 years ago has been discovered but still leaves a question mark over the exact day of his death.

Russell Foot, from Soldiers Rise, found the small gravestone of Private Robert Lockhart underneath a grapevine in his back garden when he moved in more than 30 years ago but did not realise he was holding a key piece of the town’s history.

It was not until he read The Times last week that he realised just how important the stone was, admitting that on many occasions he had thought about throwing it away.

Brave Private Lockhart died in Finchampstead after fighting in the Crimea, and was a veteran of the battles of Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Tourmaye.

Memorials in Soldiers Rise show that Private Lockhart died 150 years ago – on July 27, 1855 – but the town’s historians believe it was not until July 26, 1856, that he died near a stream in the area.

The stone shown to The Times by Mr Foot earlier this week fails to shed any light on the mystery surrounding his death as the last digit on the year has worn away.

However it is yet another tribute to the popular soldier who has a memorial in Soldiers Rise – off Lower Wokingham Road – and a gravestone in the churchyard of Wokingham Baptist Church.

Mr Foot said: “When we moved in the garden was overgrown and there was a huge grapevine growing all over it. When we cut it down there was a small gravestone propping up the shed door.

“I didn’t really think much of it and was going to throw it out but my wife loves history and said we should hold on to it.

“It’s always been a bit of a mystery to us why this grave was there but when we read the paper last week it all fell into place and the story came alive.

“It’s nice to know there is a bit of history in our garden and I’m pleased I didn’t go ahead and throw it away.”

Mr Foot said he did not really know what to do with the gravestone but was probably going to keep it in the garden where it had been for so many years.

“I really don’t know what to do with it. We’ve been here for over 30 years now and it has been here for such a long time that I think we’ll probably keep it in the garden.

“It was just my wife saying we should keep hold of it that I didn’t throw it away.”